The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by supporters of Peter Obi that the former Labour Party presidential candidate won Rivers State in the 2023 presidential election.
He said the claim existed only in their “imagination.”
Wike made the statement on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout.
He was responding to questions about his political influence in Rivers State and claims by Obi’s supporters, popularly known as Obidients, that their candidate won the state.
“They won by their own imagination,” Wike said. “Who did INEC declare to have won?”
The former Rivers State governor questioned why Obi’s supporters continued to make the claim despite the result officially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Wike also challenged those making the claim to present the evidence used to support it, especially during the legal challenges that followed the 2023 presidential election.
“When they went to the tribunal, were they able to defend their claim?” he asked.
The minister said the claim of victory was largely sustained through social media rather than the official electoral process.
“You can win on social media; I’m not interested in social media winning,” he said.
Wike further argued that the outcome of an election in Rivers State could not be determined by what happened in one part of Port Harcourt or any other single location.
“You don’t stay in one place in Port Harcourt and say Obi has won,” he said, noting that Rivers State has 23 local government areas.
He then challenged Obi’s supporters to produce official electoral documents to support their position.
“Let them produce that result sheet that says Obi won,” Wike said.
According to the results announced by INEC after the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress received 231,591 votes in Rivers State, while Obi of the Labour Party polled 175,071 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, came third in the state with 88,468 votes.
It can be recalled that former Transportation Minister and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, claimed in August 2025 that Obi won the state but alleged that the results were later changed.
“I can agree with you to some extent that Obi won Rivers State,” Amaechi said during an X Space discussion.
“But I don’t know how the results were changed.”
Amaechi did not provide evidence to support the allegation, while the officially declared INEC figures placed Tinubu ahead of Obi in Rivers State.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, backed Tinubu in the 2023 election after falling out with Atiku following the PDP presidential primary. He has since maintained his support for Tinubu’s bid for another term in office.
The former Rivers governor has also defended his frequent visits to the state, rejecting suggestions that he intends to relocate from Abuja.
“It’s not about relocating; it’s about coming home to relate with the people and talk to them, and also do those things you know how to do very well, not to take chances,” Wike said.
“So, I’m not relocating. I don’t need to relocate, but I also have to be in touch with my people so that I don’t just sit in Abuja and then say that everything is going on well there.”
Wike said his visits were partly aimed at allowing him to personally assess developments in the state instead of relying solely on reports from political associates.
“I don’t want to sit in Abuja, and candidates are saying, ‘Oh, don’t bother, everything is going on well’. I have to come home and see that all those things are going on. ‘Have you done this? What about this?’” he said.
His relationship with Obi has also changed since the 2023 election. Obi, who is now the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress for the 2027 election, recently responded to Wike’s warning that he could face political consequences if Tinubu loses the 2027 election.
Wike had said his decision to support Tinubu could make him a target of opposition politicians if the President failed to secure re-election.
“My concern is, I will support Mr President. If you watch what is happening today and look at it, peradventure anything happens and Mr President fails today, I will be the first politician that Atiku or Obi will hunt for his head,” Wike had said.
“I challenge anybody. So, I won’t make that mistake of sleeping to see that the President loses the election.”
Obi subsequently said he was not seeking the presidency to pursue political opponents or settle political scores.
“Someone even told me that Wike said if I became president, he would be the first victim. I’m not campaigning to be president to start pursuing people,” Obi said.
